Stringer-support.



C. E. FULLER.

STFHNGER SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED FEB.9. 1911.

1 9 E. @Q fi 1 Patented June 22, 1915.

I WITNESSES [NVENTORE @i i mm mm2flw *Wwmmr rrnn srn'rns CHARLES E. FULLER, or OMAHA, vEBRnskA.

swimmers-sorrow.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed February 9, 1911. Serial N 0. 607,633.

To all whom it may concern p Be it known that I, CHARLES E. FULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stringer-Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a stringer support or hanger, and particularly to a folding hanger which will be automatically retracted into a pocket when not in use, so as to be entirely out of the way, but at the same time capable of instant use when needed.

It is frequently desirable in warehouses, railway cars, the holds of ships, etc., to pro vide temporary floors to support goods, and by my invention I provide a hanger of simple form which may be mounted in pairs in various suitable positions in the walls of such structures and may then be used to support stringers upon which the temporary floors are carried. Only such hangers as are actually in use protrude from the wall; the other hangers being retracted automatically as above stated, into pockets mounted in the wall, and these pockets are so formed as to be properly supported by the framework of the structure, and so as to preclude the passage of any material through the wall by way of the openings into which the pockets are set. I also give to the hanger a form combining simplicity with strength, and incidentally secure other advantages which will be apparent from the description of the preferred embodiment of'the device in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a section through aportion of a freight car or similar structure showing the hanger supported by the walls thereof; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a hanger, showing it in the retracted position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hanger pocket with its pin; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the hanger proper.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the outside sheathing of a car or the like; 2 the inner sheathing and 3 a framing member. The exact arrangement of these parts may of course be varied, they being merely details of the structure to which the hanger is applied. A cup-shaped hanger pocket 4: is set into the space between the inner sheathing 2 and the outer sheathing 1, through an opening formed in the inner Sheathing and is supported on the framing member 3 by bolts 5,,which pass through.

lugs 6 formed integrally with the pocket. The pocket 4; is provided with a flange 7 which is wide enough to lap any opening existing between the pocket 4 and the sheathing 2, thus preventing the passage of any material from within the car to the space between the inner and outer sheathing. The proportions of the cup and the flange, etc., may be varied to accord with the space available. 1

-The position and form of the lugs 6 are dependent upon the form of the framing member 3 as will be apparent. The form shown is therefore illustrative and I contemplate modifications therein sufiicient to adapt the pocket to attachment to any structure for which it is suited. A pivot pin 8 passes in a horizontal direction through the walls of the pocket and these walls are thickened by bosses 9 to give a .better support to the pin. The bosses 9 have extensions 10 which serve as limit stops for the hanger proper as will later appear.: The pin 8 is retained in the hanger pocket bymeans of a nut 11 or by any suitable equivalent. 7

The hanger proper 12, consists of a bottom plate 13, having side flanges lt which serve to retain a stringer upon the hanger and to hold it in an upright position. These side flanges also materially strengthen the hanger. The hanger is pivoted upon the pin 8 and is provided with a counterweight 15 to the rear of the pivot, which weight" is suflicient to swing the hanger upward into the pocket to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The counterweight 15 extends past the flanges 14 to form the lugs 16 which co-act with the extension bosses 10 and limit the outward movement of the hanger. The in ward movement of the hanger is limited by.

bosses 17 on the flanges 14 which abut against the rear walls of the pocket.

An inspection of the drawing will show that when the hanger is out in its supporting position the end of the stringer comes close to the pivot pin 8, and this pin 8 together with the co-acting lugs 16 and bosses 10 furnish adequate support to the hanger. The hanger may be moved to its supporting position by pushing the counterweight 15 inward or by drawing the upper end of the hanger outward by means of the finger hole 18 provided for that purpose.

In the use of the device the proper hangers are moved to supporting position and the stringer 19 is placed upon them, the weight ofthe stringer serving tohold'the hangers in position. A series of stringers thus supported carry the floor or other structure, and when thestringers .are finally removed the hangers automatically fold into their pockets leaving the W'allsof the car, warehouse or the like free of all projections. The hangers are thusprotected from injury to themselves 1 ofiierno obstruc: tionsto articles pla'ced near them, and they have no detached :par

As'WilPbe apparent from Fig. 2the center of gravity o'f the counterweight 15-;even in the retracted position of the hanger is "to the rear-of;- the pivot pin8, so that;eve'n in such retracted position the counterweight acts 5 to so hold the hanger, thus preventing the hangers from being thrown outward'in case'thecar or other =vehicle'to which it is is important that theybe retracted within their shells -or casings, in order that-they may not cause injury to the stock. The same is true in the case of box cars in which furniture and "the like is carried. By reason ofthe' automatic withdrawal of thehangers,

no neglect or carelessness on the part of the sh pper orofthe tralncrew, can oceaslon ln ury' to :the crew or to merchandise.

I There ishence a material advantageinthe structure above described, as compared with other flhangers requiring manual return of the 'supporting-member't'o its inoperative position. It.a1so contributes totheease or facility of placing the. stringers imposition,

' for the reason that untilflmanually ,drawn out to operative position, the supporting- .member lies entirely within the wall of the containing structure, and a stringer or beam can have its end seated 1n the hanger at ioneeend and swung directly upward to a po1nt above the hanger which is to support its opposite end, preliminarily to drawing out and positioning such second hanger, whereas if both hangers be positioned prior to mounting either end of the stringer or beam in its support, it is necessary to move the second end laterally to clear the second hanger, and this in turn necessitates a looseness of 'fit and an allowance in length that permits undesirable'play of the stringer or beam when in position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is *1. The combination of a supporting pocket; bosses formed in said pocket; a hanger pivotedftherein adapted in one position to support astringer or the like and in another to be contained within the pocket; a counterweight adapted to urge the hanger toward the second named position in all positions of the hanger; and lugs 011 the hanger .adapted to coact with the bosses in the pocket to sustain the hanger when drawn outward to supporting position.

2.'The combination of a wall including a supporting frame and a sheathing; a cup shaped hanger pocket inserted through said sheathing; means for supporting the hanger pocket on the frame; a flange on the hanger pocket, adapted to lap the space between the pocket and the sheathing; a hanger pivoted in the pocket and adapted in one position to support a stringer and in another to be contained within the pocket; and a counterweight formed integrally with the hanger and adapted constantly to urge the same toward the second named position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of A two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. FULLER.

Witnesses:

H. P. VAN ARSDALE, B. R. 'HAnnls.

Copiesefathls patentmay be obtaine'dforlfive cents each, by addressing'the Commissioner of Patents,

"WashingtonQ-DJCP H 

